Apparatus for cleaning carpets and like fabrics.



W. ROWBOTHAM.

APPARATUS FOR GLEANING GARPETS ANDLIKE FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 21/1908.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENT S n WALTEHHSWSSTHA F11 4. 4&1, /4

WITNESSES -W. ROWZBOTHAM.

APPARATUS FOR GLEANING GARPETS AND LIKE FABRICS.

' APPLICATION FILED DEG. 21, 1908.

1,007,800, Patented Nov. '7, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER RowBoTHAM, or MQNTREAL, QUEBEC, cnnnna.

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING CARPETS ANDIJIKE FABRICS.

Specification of Letterslatent.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

Application filed December -21, 1908; Serial Illa 468,669.

To all whom it. may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER RoWBoTHAM,

of the city of Montreal, in the Province of object 1s to provide means for thoroughly cleaning carpets and the like which will re-' move dust and other substances therefrom without injuring the pile ofthe fabric.

A further object is to provide a sweeper that will operate in corners and close to the walls of a room and that will remove threads and similar substances from the carpet by means of a vacuum created within the machine, acting in conjunction with a brush which loosens particles of dust and threads which the vacuum alone is not able to remove.

A still further object is to provide means for collecting all the matter removed from the fabric within the machine, thereby pre-, venting the escape of same into the surrounding air. v

The apparatus consists essentially of a fan or blower driven from the wheels upon which the device runs, said fan being adapted to force a 'jet of air downwardly upon the carpet for the purpose of stirring up the dust within the same and then to draw said dust or like substances by suction into a suitable receptacle adapted to contain the same. A small brush is provided for removing threads or similar articles'which adhere to the pile of the fabric too closely to be removed by the air jet.

In the drawings which illustrate my 1nvention :Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation partly in section to show an alternative construction. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the brush. Fig. 5 is a side view of one of the wheel carrying arms. Fig. 6 is an edge view of the same. Flg. 7 1s a horizontal section on the line mw of Fig. 2.

Referring to the parts, 7 designates a fan chamber within which the side plates 8 of the fan are mounted on the shaft 9 by means of the pins 10. The side plates are connected by blades 11 curved as shown in Fig. 2 in order that the fan may more readily take in a1r at the center and deliver it under slight pressure from the periphery into the space 7 The a1r escapes from the space 7 through the rearwardly and downwardly pro ecting nozzle 12, thus stirring up the dust 1n the fabric to be cleaned and creating a suctlon of external air into the space 13,

which opens-directly into the dust conduit 14 A brush 15 having widely separated brlstle tufts is located across the mouth of the dust conduit 14. The purpose of this brush is todraw threads or other similarmatter which the air jet is unable to discharge and roll the' same up so that they may be readily carried into the dust conduit between the tufts of bristles by the air currents The dust laden air, after traversing the conduit 14, emerges from the mouth 16 thereof into the dust receiver 17 and impinges on a curved deflecting plate 18 which directs 1t downwardly. The air now passes through a screen 19 hanging from the defleeting plate 18. The vibrations of this screen caused by the movement of the apparatus back and forth, serve to dislodge any I particles of dust which would adhere to the screen'and clog the same. After passing through the screen 19, the air passes upwardly through the perforated rear portion 20 of the deflecting plate 18, and through a second screen 21, which removes any dust which may be stillcarried by the air before the same enters .the air passages 22 which lead to the center of the fan chamber 7. The fan is driven by means of pulleys 23 of rubber or other suit-able material which frictionally engage the inner face of the wheel rims 24. The wheels are provided with rubber tires 25 which engage the carpet or fabric to be cleaned and insure the wheels against slipping. The wheels are mounted on posts '26 carried on the upper end of levers 27 pivotally mounted on a shaft 28 which extends through the dust receiver. A fork member 29' is pivoted to the lower ends of the levers 27 at 30.and-is provided with a suitable socket 31 for the reception of a handle. Fromthe pivot 30, the arms of the fork extend forwardly and upwardly and are provided with hooks 32 adapted to engage the fan shaft 9 to support the weight of the sweeper when the same 1s belng lifted age to furniture, etc.

or carried, as shown in Fig.1. Stops 33 are fixed to the sides of the dust receiver to limit the rearward movement of the levers 27. The dust receiver is provided with a cover 34 secured thereto by a resilient pack- 'ing'ring 35 which prevents the escape of 'dust, and a handle 36 'for convenience in 'In the alternative form shown in Fig. 3,

I 1 I have shown a small rotary brush 39 replacing the fixed brush 15. This brush is driven by means of an elastic belt 40 running. over i apulley 41 secured to one of the running wheels. It is obvious that any suitable mechanism may be substituted for the elastic belt.

"understood from the foregoing description The operatlon of the device will be readily and consists, briefly, in forcing a jet of air downwardly and rearwardly on to the fabric to be cleaned. This jet of air, inconjunction with the brush 15, stirs up the dust 1n the fabric which is carried through the brush and up the conduit 14 bythe air cur rent, into the dust receiver 17. The dust and, air are here separated, the air being returned to the fan chamber through the air passages. 22 to be again directed on to the fabric.

furnishes suflicientair supply to make up for any loss of air which may have occurred during the cycle of operation.

7 I claim is Having thus described my invention, what A device of the class described compr sing a dust receiver, a blower, levers pivoted to the dust receiver intermediate their extremities, a pair of runningjwheels piv- .oted to the upper extremities of said levers,

a driving fork uniting the lowerextremities .of said levers, an air nozzle, at the front of .rthe blower adapted to direct a-jet of air ydownwardly on to the'fabric to be cleaned,

'- i conduit leading from the rear to said dust receiver.

a brush, at the rear of said nozzle, anda P device ofthe class described comprislng a dust receiver, a blower, an air nozzle at the front of the blower adapted tozdirect a jet of air downwardlyonto the fabric tov be. cleaned, levers pivoted to the dust receiver intermediate their extremities,

The direction and velocity of. the jet drawn in through the air inlet 13 of the brush running wheels revolubly mounted at the upper extremities of said levers, a driving fork uniting the-lower extremities of said levers, and means for driving the blower from the wheel rims.

3. A device of the class described comprising a dust receiver, a blower, an air nozzle at the front of the blower adapted to direct a jet of air downwardly onto the fabric to be cleaned, levers pivoted to the dust receiver intermediate their extremities, running wheels. revolubly mounted at the upper extremities of said levers, means for connecting the blower and driving wheels, a driving fork unitingthe lower extremities of the levers, whereby the wheels are thrown into gear with the blower when the apparatus moves in a forward direction and out of gear when the apparatus moves in a reverse direction, substantially as described.

4. A carpet cleaning device comprising a fan chamber, a revoluble fan therein, an air nozzle at the front of said fan chamber.

adapted to direct a jet of air downwardly and rearwardly onto the fabric to be cleaned,

a shaft for said fan, a dust receiver at the rear of the fan chamber, levers pivoted to said dust receiver, running wheels mounted on the upperv extremities of said levers, a

fork pivoted to the lower extremities of said levers, a handle socket fixed to said fork, pulleys mounted on the fan shaft and frictionally engaging the inner faces of the wheel rims.

'5. A carpet cleaning device comprising a fan chamber, a revoluble-fan therein, a shaft for said fan, a dust receiver, at the rear of said fan chamber, levers pivoted to the dust receiver intermediate their extremities, running wheels revolubly mounted at the upper extremities of said levers having inwardly projecting rims, .a fork member pivoted to the lower extremities of said levers, a handle socketvfixed thereto, and pulleys carried by the fan shaft adapted to frictionally engage the inner face of the wheel rims, substantially as described.

1 6. A carpet cleaning device comprising a pair of running wheels, :1. fan or blower, driving pulleys therefor, a dust receiver, an inlet conduit for said receiver, levers pivoted to the dust receiver carrying said run- 1 ning wheels, and .a driving fork operating said levers to throw the running wheelsinto engagement with the fan pulleys.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses. WALTER ROWBOTHAM. Witnesses:

C. W. TAYLOR, E. R. MoKENzm. 

